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Bloomington, the county seat of McLean County, Illinois, was founded in 1830. About midway between Chicago and St. Louis, Missouri, it is located next to Normal (north). Originally known as Keg Grove, the property was renamed Blooming Grove due to the abundance of wildflowers in the region when it was inhabited in 1822. Bloomington was renamed in 1831 when the town was built out and established. A plaque marks the location where Abraham Lincoln gave his "lost speech" against slavery at a Republican Party conference in Illinois in 1856. Farming (especially maize and soybeans), cattle husbandry, and the production of farm seeds are the city's primary sources of income, although insurance and the manufacturing of confectionery and vacuum cleaners are also significant.

An official county seat for McLean was created when the county was formed. The statute, on the other hand, indicated that the location of Bloomington "would be located later." It was announced that James Allin, one of the proponents of the new county, had volunteered to give his property to the new town. Bloomington was planned out after his proposition was accepted. On July 4th, 1831, it was auctioned off to a large and boisterous crowd. Many new farmers came to settle in the newly constituted county because of the fertile soils that existed at that time, but there were few roadways for them to use.

Bloomington grew rapidly over the first two decades of the twentieth century. Growing up in Bloomington, IA was impacted by agriculture, highway and railroad construction, and insurance (primarily State Farm Insurance). In addition, the downtown area became a regional retail destination. Unions strengthened.

Ray and Irene Denbesten founded in 1977. Cathy Denbesten, their daughter, now runs it. Call them at (309) 6662-4228 for assistance purchasing or selling a house.

The city has a population of 76,610 at the 2010 census, with 30,454 homes. 2,814.8 people per square mile (1,099.5/km2) was the population density. At an average density of 1,261.5 units per square mile (492.8/km2), there were 34,339 dwelling units. 7.75% White; 10.1% African American; 0.3 % Native American; 7.0 % Asian; 1.42 % other races; 2.9% two or more races; and 2.9 percent from two or more races. 5.6 percent of the population was of Hispanic or Latino origin.

34,339 homes had children under 18 in 2010, 46,7 percent were married couples, 9.1% had a female householder living alone, and 41,1% were non-families. People aged 65 and older lived alone in 9.2% of all households (32.6%). Average household and family sizes were 2.41 and 3.12 respectively.

The Bloomington Ice Center (formerly known as the Pepsi Ice Center) is an indoor public ice skating facility that is run by the Bloomington Parks & Recreation Department. It has a full-size sheet of ice that is 200' x 85' and can be used by anyone. The facility has ice skating lessons, public skating sessions, a full hockey program, learn to curl and curling leagues, skate rental, and a concession stand where you can buy food and drink. You can also rent skates.

Until 2006, the U.S. Cellular Coliseum was called the Grossinger Motors Arena. It opened in 2006, and it is now home to the Bloomington Edge of the Indoor Football League. It was also home to the PrairieThunder hockey team and the Blaze hockey team. This rink has been home to the Central Illinois Flying Aces of the U.S. Hockey League since 2014. It also hosts some games for the club hockey team at Illinois State University and for youth hockey programs in the area. Since it has more than 180,000 square feet (17,000 m2) of space, the Coliseum can hold about 7,00 people in its fixed seating area, but it can also hold more than 8,000 people for events. When the facility is used as a theater with a retractable curtain, it can seat 2,500 to 5,000 people. Since the Coliseum opened, it has been used for a wide range of events, including concerts, family shows, ice shows, motorsports, and trade shows.

The Ladies' Library Association founded the Bloomington Public Library in 1857. Membership fees and book contributions mostly funded the modest library. 105 West North Street, 1871 (which is now West Monroe Street.) Locals gathered $1,100 to revive the library when it closed due to lack of money in 1880. Mrs. Sarah B. Withers donated property for a new two-story library in 1888. The library was christened "Withers Library." in recognition of the contribution.

In 1976, Citizens for a New Public Library starts a group called "Friends of the Library." They want to get voters to let the city build a new public library. The campaign was successful and, in 1977, the library reopened in its current home at 205 East Olive Street as "Bloomington Public Library." Currently, the library has a number of public programs, including a Bookmobile, which was first called "Library on Wheels" in 1926. The Bookmobile delivers books to people in their own neighborhoods.

Miller Park Zoo has several exhibits and zookeeper interactions. Sun bears, reindeer, sea lions, red pandas, lemus, bald eagles, pallas cats, and red wolves are among the zoo's residents. ZooLab, Children's Zoo, Animals of Asia and the Katthoefer Animal Building are among the zoo's numerous attractions. Tropical America Rainforest is the Zoo's newest exhibit.

Normal City Hall Annex is where the east–west segment meets the north segment. Towanda-Barnes Road is where the east–west segment goes east and ends. The Liberty Branch starts at Commerce Drive and ends at the Old Farm Lakes Subdivision, so it's called that. The Freedom Branch starts at Lincoln Street and ends at Route 9 West. This is where the branch ends. It's possible to park in nearby lots all over the area. Walkers and runners, as well as skateboarders and cyclists, are welcome on the trail. Wheelchair users, in-line skaters, skateboarders, and other non-motorized transportation are also welcome. During the winter, it isn't cleaned of snow, and skiers can use it, if the weather is good.

Illinois Wesleyan University (1850) and a campus of Heartland Community College (1990) are in Bloomington, and Illinois State University (1857) is in Normal. American Passion Play is staged every year in spring. The home of David Davis, a member of the Supreme Court, was built in 1872 and is a state historic site. Bloomington has museums about history and aviation, a zoo, and a summer Shakespeare festival. Both Adlai E. Stevenson, vice president (1893–97) of the United States, and his grandson, Adlai E. Stevenson II, Illinois governor and two-time Democratic Party presidential nominee, are buried in Evergreen Cemetery. You can go to a museum of gems and minerals in Shirley, which is south of the city. 1839. 64,808 people lived there in 2000. The Bloomington-Normal Metro Area had 150,433 people. In 2010, there were 76,601 people in the area.

Located on copyright Lane, off Towanda Avenue, the Community Players Theater is one of the oldest volunteer-staffed community theaters in the area. The theater, which first opened its doors in 1923, just celebrated its 88th season.

In 1916, Balaban & Katz, the original creators of the traditional cinema palace, built the Castle Theatre with a 1,000-seat capacity. The property has long been regarded as a top tourist attraction in the region. A $1.5 million makeover has brought the Castle back to its former splendour. Live music, corporate, public, and private events may be found at the Castle nowadays.

It is a city-sponsored amateur theater organization that produces two major plays each year in Miller Park Outdoor Summer Theatre.

It marks the 21st anniversary of USA Ballet. There are three performances a year in the McPherson Theatre on the campus of Illinois Wesleyan University.

Currently in its 92nd season, American Passion Play is the country's longest-running Passion Play. The Bloomington Center for the Performing Arts hosts the annual Passion Play, which depicts the life of Jesus Christ from beginning to end.

Each summer, the Illinois Shakespeare Festival features performances in an open-air, Elizabethan-style theatre inside historic Ewing Manor. Picnicking on the grounds before each performance is welcomed, with wandering Madrigal singers, jesters, and other artists, as well as a Green Show performance, providing entertainment.

All summer long, there is an event called Lincoln's Bloomington Festival that takes place in Downtown Bloomington. It includes Civil War reenactments and traditional craft demonstrations as well as kids' activities, children's musical performances, tours, and talks.

The McLean County Arts Center hosts the Spring Bloom Arts Festival in March every year. It's an indoor fine art festival with over a hundred artists showing everything from carpentry and glass art to sculpture and paintings. There are also prints and pictures and jewelry made by hand on display.

The McLean County Fair is held annually in August at the McLean County Fairgrounds in Bloomington. 4-H events include livestock exhibitions, a film festival, and displays on food, nutrition, and health, plants, engineering, and technology. Featuring tractor pulls and musical performances.

Architect Phil Hooten built Ewing Manor in Bloomington, and he used the Channel-Norman style that was popular with the rich in the post-Victorian era to make it. Jens Jensen, a well-known landscape architect who also designed Springfield's Lincoln Memorial Gardens, made the gardens around the statue. In the summer, the theater on the grounds hosts the Illinois Shakespeare Festival.

The McLean County Museum of History was created in 1892, the same year as the McLean County Historical Society. The museum, which is housed within the former McLean County Courthouse, contains permanent and rotating exhibitions that examine Central Illinois' history. The National Register of Historic Places recognizes this place.

Miller Park

When it was completed in May of that year, the Miller Park Pavilion & War Memorial was re-dedicated after being repaired in 1977. Central Illinois people killed or missing in action in Korea and Vietnam are listed on red walkways around the black granite monument.

A Bell Sea Cobra, a Huey helicopter, and an F-14 Tomcat are among the restored aircraft on exhibit at the Prairie Aviation Museum.

Many noteworthy Bloomington-Normal residents, including members of the Stevenson family, are buried at the Evergreen Memorial Cemetery, often known as the Evergreen Cemetery. There are two Adlai E. Stevensons buried there: Adlai E. Stevenson I, Grover Cleveland's vice president, and Adlai E. Stevenson II, governor of Illinois, UN ambassador, and twice Democratic presidential contender. Stevenson's wife, Letitia Green Stevenson, who served as the Daughters of the American Revolution's second National President-General, and her sister, Julia Green Scott, the Daughters of the American Revolution's seventh National President-General, are also buried there. David Davis, Abraham Lincoln's friend and mentor; Charles Radbourn, probably 19th-century baseball's finest pitcher; and Dorothy Gage, the basis for the main heroine in the Wizard of Oz and the niece of author L. Frank Baum, are among the other important personalities buried there.

It provides a look into the life of Abraham Lincoln's friend and mentor, David Davis, who served as a Supreme Court Justice and was an important part in Lincoln's campaign for the 1860 Republican nomination for president. An example of mid-Victorian style and taste, the Davis Mansion was constructed in 1872 and incorporates Italianate and Second Empire architectural elements. Coal-burning stoves, gas lights, and indoor plumbing are all found in his Bloomington house, which has been in the Davis family for three generations. The National Register of Historic Places lists the David Davis Mansion as a historic site.

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The David Davis Mansion provides group and private tours of Judge David Davis' 36-room house. Through portray the rich social and cultural history of America's western frontier from the 1850s to the 1880s. Family history (with an emphasis on children) and Victorian architecture are among the subjects covered.

The house is a forerunner of today's contemporary residences and comfort systems, and it serves as a reminder of Illinois' historical significance during Abraham Lincoln's presidency. A customized Tea Ladies Inc. event at the estate may also be arranged.

The McLean County Museum of History offers an audio driving tour titled Lincoln's Bloomington and Normal, Illinois. The CD-based audio tour presents President Abraham Lincoln as a returning visitor, talking about the places he visited and their meaning. Written and performed by James Keeran, the audio tour includes: Kersey Fell's Law office, where Jesse Fell suggested Lincoln run for the presidency; the home of Asahel Gridley, Lincoln's friend and client in a slander suit; the Miller-Davis Building, where Lincoln practiced law; and 14 other sites.

Bloomington's main mall is Eastland Mall. There's also a lot to do at Eastland Mall. Although the mall has recently declined, it is part of a nationwide trend.

Downtown Bloomington has museums, banks, a legal and governmental center, residential living, a large artist community, specialty retail stores, and supportive services. Many restaurants and a vibrant nightlife. Special events like the Tour de Chocolat and Once Upon a Holiday give visitors a chance to explore the neighborhood. Downtown Bloomington is home to City of Bloomington and McLean County government offices, as well as major employers such as State Farm Insurance, specialty stores, bars, restaurants, and art galleries.

As the city grows, it has pushed into another district in McLean County, Unit District No. 5. Unit Five used to serve only suburban areas like Normal, but now most of its students come from Bloomington, which is where the school is located. Unit Five runs two high schools and four junior high schools. There are also a lot of elementary schools in the Unit Five area. As of 2010, Unit Five was building its fourth junior high school, which is called George Evans Junior High School or EJHS. There were two new elementary schools built in Bloomington in 2011 as well as the new high school. Unit 5 is also planning to build another high school in Bloomington.

Illinois Wesleyan Institution, established in 1850, is a private residential university with a student-faculty ratio of 12 to 1 and an enrolment of 2,100 students. It was once associated with the United Methodist Church. The University is divided into three colleges: the College of Liberal Arts, which has 17 academic departments; the College of Fine Arts, which has professional schools of art, music, and theatre arts; and the School of Nursing, which has professional schools of nursing. The five-story Ames Library, the Center for Natural Science, and the Shirk Center for Athletics and Recreation have all been added at Illinois Wesleyan in the last decade. Since 1970, Illinois Wesleyan University, an NCAA Division III school, has had more than 100 athletes named to the Academic All-American team. Hairmasters Institute of Cosmetology, Inc. teaches pivot point hair sculpture, hair design, long hair design, hair texture, hair color, people skills, and salon management.

As a landmark, the McLean County Museum of History, with its magnificent dome, helps to identify the city's historical heart. The courthouse plaza is surrounded by a number of historic buildings from the turn of the century. You'll discover a wide range of attractions, including art galleries and studios, as well as a variety of specialized shops and support services, including museums, banks, a courthouse, and a government building. There are a wide variety of eateries and a vibrant nightlife in the city.

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